In recent years, the use of computer known as “cloud computing” has increased. In cloud computing, various types of application services and hardware resources such as servers are provided to users over the Internet.
As long as a user has access to the Internet, the user can receive services provided by cloud computing (cloud computing services) without regard to any service infrastructure at that time. Patent Document 1 discloses a system for providing a cloud computing service (hereinafter, referred to as a “cloud system”).
The cloud system disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an authentication server and a plurality of service providing servers. According to the cloud system of Patent Document 1, once logged in, the user can receive services that are provided by the service providing servers without regard to the servers. Hereinafter, this cloud system is described.
When the user logged in, authentication processing by the authentication server is first performed. Specifically, the user creates, using a terminal, a request for requesting a service, encrypts the request, and then sends the encrypted request to the authentication server. The authentication server performs decryption processing that uses the terminal ID of the user as a decryption key, and accepts the login from the terminal in the case of successful decryption. After having accepted the user login, the authentication server invokes a server that provides a tour reservation service (hereinafter referred to as a “tour reservation server”).
The invoked tour reservation server displays a tour reservation page on the user's screen and lets the user make a reservation. When the user has made the reservation, the tour reservation server then invokes servers that provide a hotel reservation service and a restaurant reservation service, and lets the user make a hotel reservation and a restaurant reservation. In this way, the user can receive services with a single login.
Also, a company that adopts cloud computing can create a necessary environment in a very short time and at a low cost compared to a company that does not adopt cloud computing. Accordingly, adoption of cloud computing is increasing among companies.